UIL Congress Contest

Congress is an individual contest in a large group setting. It models the legislative process of democracy, specifically, the United States Congress. Within this mock legislative assembly competition, contestants draft legislation (proposed laws and position statements) submitted to the tournament, and they research the docket of bills and resolutions dealing with real-world  social and political policies prior to the contest to prepare their speeches. At the tournament, students caucus in committees, deliver formal discourse on the merits and disadvantages of each piece of legislation, and vote to pass or defeat the measures they have examined. Parliamentary procedure forms structure for the discourse, and students extemporaneously respond to others’ arguments over the course of a session.

Resources & Guidelines

• 2021-22 Congress Handbook
• Overview of the Congress Contest
• Synopsis & Time Structure of Congress
• Skills Gained from Participating in the Congress Contest
• The Case for UIL Congressional Debate
• Writing Effective Congress Legislation
• Showcase Video of Congress

Congress Competition

2021-22 Important Dates

2021-22 Region Clerks -  Updated 9/7

Region Legislation  - Posted 9/6/21

Best Practices and Rule Waivers for Virtual Congress Meets - updated 9/8/21

State Competition

2022 Tentative Program

2022 - State Tournament Information

 

Results

Champions History

2022

2021

2020

2019